The Ball for an Envious Bride. Part 1.

The Royal Palace was adorned for the ball. I immediately noticed that the vases for flowers were filled with white peonies, and judging by their quantity, they had been collected from all over the kingdom. Undoubtedly, it was a hint, and Rainn must have suggested it. It was a signal that the king was aware of the correspondence between Sebastian and me.

I arrived at the palace during the night, and now, after a day spent in preparations, I was finally descending to my celebration, ready to present myself to high society as the rightful heiress of de Savoуar.

King Christoph had even taken care of my attire. In my room awaited a luxurious gown made of white elven silk, fit for a queen. However, I chose not to wear it and instead opted for something that Sebastian had approved – also white, but simpler and more understated.

I entered the ballroom with my head held high, radiating determination and self-assurance. My steps were confident, and my gaze was fixed straight ahead, despite all the attention focused on me. Purposefully, I strode in my heeled shoes across the marble floor, creating a loud sound that echoed through the hall. I wanted to capture the courtiers' attention – it was a game for them, and I intended to play my part with pride.

With each step, I drew closer to the throne, oblivious to the states that were closely following me. There was grace and dignity in my movements, as if I were accustomed to such royal gatherings. In reality, I had spent much time with Sebastian, perfecting my gait as he impersonated a king. He was an experienced guest at such events, and I took lessons from him.

I continued my approach with a genuine smile, which the courtiers interpreted as a greeting to the king. Only from King Christoph's watchful eyes did I realize that he hadn't believed my act for a single moment.

Adhering to the courtly protocol, Christoph introduced me, acknowledging my title and heritage, expressing condolences for my parents. In essence, all the formalities were observed. It was time to open the ball. Logically, I gave the first dance to the king. We engaged in pleasant conversation, and to observers, it appeared as though we were close relatives. My escape had become a capricious whim of a spoiled maiden, and the king, being a gracious ruler and a loving relative, pardoned me for this liberty. Nevertheless, he didn't forget to mention it in his welcoming speech. He also thanked Sebastian for his assistance and support, and announced another important declaration in the second part of the reception, so as not to divert attention from his cherished niece.

The ball turned out to be mundane and devoid of surprises. I danced with various courtiers, while Sebastian and the blonde woman who accompanied him kept their distance from me. They didn't even approach to congratulate and greet me. It was impolite, of course, but I survived it. However, from time to time, I caught Sebastian's attentive glances. Clearly, he was secretly watching over me, assessing the situation, expecting some surprises. And finally, a surprise did occur.

As the first part of the evening drew to a close, one of the servants approached me, holding a glass of wine and a small note from Rainn. In the note, he insistently demanded a meeting with me on the balcony in fifteen minutes, claiming it was in my best interest. I wasn't foolish enough to fully trust him, but still, a desire rose within me to confront this traitor and look into his eyes.

Deciding that walking into a trap without any precautions was foolish, I chose to disregard protocol and approached Sebastian and the blonde woman myself. Stepping up to them, I spoke with a smile, "Your Highness, Countess Lindwood. Delighted to see you at the ball. I noticed that you are quite popular among the courtiers. But it seems you couldn't even break away to congratulate the cause of the celebration." I adopted a playfully offended expression and winked, surveying both of them. Then, with my gaze, I directed Sebastian's attention to my right hand, where Rain's note was placed.

Judging by Sebastian's narrowed eyes, he understood my implication. He replied apologetically, "I apologize for my lack of tact, Lady de Savoyar. We are pleased to congratulate you on your presentation to the court as the rightful heir of the de Savoyar lineage." He then bowed and took my right hand to kiss it, discreetly taking the note from Rainn in the process.

"Alicia," he addressed the blonde woman, who was scrutinizing me intently. I merely smiled sweetly at her. I had given Sebastian the note; he would be aware of my whereabouts. As for the blonde woman, let her drown in her own venom. I wasn't jealous, after all – the ring was still on my finger. All these palace intrigues about the engagement might just be temporary.

Alicia mumbled something about congratulations and my wonderful appearance, her expression pious enough to almost deceive me. She was skilled at keeping up appearances, but her eyes betrayed her hatred at that moment.

As I was making my way towards the balcony, I glanced at Sebastian once more and caught his subtle nod. He had read the message. The balcony was a bit secluded from the ballroom, and to reach it, I had to pass several antechambers. These rooms were shrouded in a romantic ambiance – dim lighting, vases of peonies, and a few candles. If Rainn and I were caught there together, court gossip about a smitten couple seeking privacy would surely spread like wildfire.

He stood with his back to me, his hair cascading down, and his attire, unconventional for court fashion, resembled that of the elves. He had the looks of a pirate from women's novels – alluring and dangerous. When he heard my footsteps, he turned around and smiled. It felt so much like those times back in Forestsy, as if the intervening months and the betrayal had never happened.

"Alex, you look stunning," he said, smiling and appraising me.

I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes. "Did you summon me just to admire? Have you missed me that much, TRAITOR?" I practically spat out the last word at Rainn. His smile faded.

Rain sighed. "He succeeded after all, didn't he?" He looked at me with an assessing gaze, but didn't give me a chance to respond. "Sebastian will never be able to give you what you need, Alex. He isn't worthy of you."

I was surprised by the tone with which he said it, as if he wanted to say more but didn't dare. However, I had no intention of discussing my relationship with Sebastian. "Is this why you called me here?" I raised an eyebrow and looked at him questioningly. "To tell me how bad Sebastian is? Or perhaps you want to propose your candidacy for an alliance? Oh, wait, you betrayed us, ME, right. Do you want to discuss how that happened?" I spoke sarcastically, watching him from the corner of my eye as I circled around him and approached the balcony railing.

Rainn suddenly moved closer to me, gripping me by the railing. "I never betrayed you. Do you hear me? Never." Daniel hissed, his gaze fixed on me with an intensity that made me feel unfairly accused. "I betrayed him, but not you, Alex," he said softly, stroking my cheek tenderly.

"What demon are you playing with, Rainn?" I pushed his hand away, and he sighed, stepping back.

"You will come with me to the garden. I have much to tell you, but not here," he said, taking my hand and swiftly leading me down the stairs.

I tried to resist, but his grip was firm. He stopped and turned to me just as I was about to shout, "Keep quiet, it's not far from the fountain, the sound of water muffles eavesdropping artifacts," he pointed to my dress. I was surprised and stopped struggling. A bug on me? But how and when? Sebastian handed me this dress; all my other belongings were personal, untouched by anyone but me.

Rainn indeed halted at the fountain. "Where?" I asked, indicating myself.

Rainn ran his hand over my corset and retrieved a tiny spider from the fold of my belt. It blended seamlessly with the fabric, nearly impossible to notice without magical aid.

I looked at Rain skeptically. "You do realize how suspicious this looks, right? Anyone at the ball could have planted it, even you on the balcony."

"Yes, and then find it to deflect suspicion," Rainn smiled. "But the problem isn't the bug; it's your father's letter." He tossed the spider into the fountain and gazed at me solemnly.

I hissed, "Don't you dare speak of my father; you serve his murderer."

"I wouldn't be so certain of that, Alex. It's not all as straightforward," Rainn said, perching on the fountain's edge. "You're judging solely based on your father's letter, but what if he was mistaken?" He looked at me again.

"You're delusional, Rainn," I was about to leave, but he grabbed my hand.

"Five minutes, Alex. Then you can go, but once you realize everything, I'll be waiting for you in the garden at the center of the labyrinth," he said. I didn't resist and nodded, indicating that I was listening.

"I believe Christoph didn't send assassins to your father. He was framed skillfully. The only thing your father got right was that the King is studying the power of dark artifacts and their potential when infused with the force of a rift," he continued.

"Seriously, Rainn? Framed or not, why are you defending him? Why am I even listening to you?" I slapped my forehead with my palm. "I can't fathom why I'm hearing this from you. Why are you suddenly on his side?" I turned and started walking toward the palace when I heard his voice behind me.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"If Christoph killed your father, why would he save your mother?" He posed the question, and I stopped, turning back to face him. "Ask Christoph about the elves; he'll understand. Then come to the labyrinth. And no one should know about this, especially not Sebastian, most importantly not Sebastian," he stood up and headed in the opposite direction, away from the palace.

Slowing my pace, I eventually decided to head back towards the palace.

Entering the hall, everything seemed the same, but my thoughts still revolved around Rain's words. If he was right, and my mother was alive, then I owed it to her to find her. But it was all so ambiguous. I needed to ask Christoph. Perhaps this was the trap that Sebastian and I had been expecting.

Walking through the hall, I searched for the King's gaze, but I stumbled upon Alicia instead. She approached me with a sly grin and asked, "Duchess, are you looking for the prince, by any chance?" Without waiting for my response, she continued, "I hate to disappoint you, but Bastian is in a private conversation with the King. Probably discussing the upcoming announcement of our engagement," she said with an air of solemnity.

"Not at all, Countess. Much to your surprise, I was seeking the King. He promised me another dance," I replied with a similar grin.

Alicia clearly didn't believe me. Drawing closer, she hissed so that only I could hear, "Sebastian, my Duchess. And I don't appreciate someone taking what belongs to me." She locked eyes with me, tilted her head slightly, and spilled red wine right onto my dress. "My apologies, I'm so clumsy. Must be the nerves before the engagement with my groom," she feigned remorse and stepped back with a triumphant smile.

Surveying my ruined dress, I smiled and uttered, "No need to worry, Countess. The King has taken care of my wardrobe." With an unruffled demeanor, I headed toward the exit of the hall. Well, Christoph's dress came in quite handy.

As I neared the staircase, I turned at the sound from the shadows. The exit to the garden was in that direction. Before I could make out what was concealed in the darkness, I felt a blow to the back of my head and a consuming darkness.

Gradually, I started to regain consciousness and felt myself being carried somewhere. Keeping my breath steady, as advised by Sebastian, I tried not to reveal by my breathing that I was already awake. It was crucial to assess the situation first.

They were whispering, "Hurry, Countess buys us time, but they'll start searching for her soon," a man with an unpleasant voice said.

"We need to move deeper into the labyrinth. If she starts screaming, they might hear her here. And don't drag her like that. According to the legend, she was poisoned by sorrow, not concussed," the second one hissed.

Something about his words regarding poisoning didn't sit well with me. But the mention of the Countess intrigued me. Could it be Alicia?

"Enough, lean her against the bushes," the second voice commanded, and I felt myself being laid on the ground. Now was the time to let them know I had awakened, or should I keep listening? They didn't leave me much choice.

"Open her mouth, but be gentle, no bruising. Poor girl, poisoned by unrequited love for the prince after his engagement. We don't need any signs of violence," the second voice said, and I felt fingers under my chin. There was no time to waste.

I opened my eyes and made a sudden move to the side. This dress wasn't exactly designed for acrobatics, but Rainn and I had practiced evading attacks in similar attire. Rainn, the labyrinth... He had asked me to enter the labyrinth. Perhaps, this was his trap.

Getting to my feet, I kept my gaze fixed on the startled men. They clearly hadn't expected resistance. My hand found the dagger concealed in a sheath on my leg. Sebastian and I had prepared for surprises like this.

"Who are you, and who sent you?" I asked, directing the weapon towards the men and warning them not to move.

One of them sneered and growled, "Not wise to meddle with other people's betrothed, girl." He flexed his fingers, and vines began to snake around my legs. This man was an earth mage, and in the Kingdom of the Seas, there were no powerful earth mages. Judging by the ease with which he summoned the element, he possessed considerable strength.

I attempted to break free, but the mage was agile. The vines constricted around me quickly, and I fell, losing my grip on the dagger. I tried to focus, but then I felt a kick to my abdomen, and my breath was stolen away.

"I think it's not scary if we beat her a little. The main thing is not to touch her face.", one of the men said, and the other struck me again. I groaned. The pain was unbearable.

Struggling against the vines, they only tightened, making it impossible to draw a breath.

"Sebastian," I barely whispered, as breathing became increasingly difficult. Evidently, they wanted me to lose consciousness before they finished me off with poison. "Sebastian... help..." I whimpered, feeling consciousness slipping away.

One of the mages laughed and leaned over me. "Oh, sweetheart, he can't hear you. He's with his bride-to-be, and this is our engagement gift." He clenched his fist, and darkness enveloped me. Before I lost consciousness, a final thought flashed through my mind: "So, it was the blonde after all..."

______________________________________________________________________

When I regained consciousness, the sounds of a magical duel echoed in the background. Shouts summoned water and the earth's element. Opening my eyes, I realized I was under a protective dome. I focused, trying to regain my senses quickly. After a few minutes, my head cleared, and I distinguished the sounds of battle I had heard earlier.

Rainn! He was fighting one of my kidnappers, who skillfully deflected his attacks. I hadn't been mistaken; he was a powerful earth mage. The second kidnapper lay near the bushes in an odd position. It seemed he was no longer a threat. I drew upon my reserves to recover faster. Now I needed to help Rainn; the earth mage was clearly stronger and more experienced.

Getting to my feet, I shattered the protective dome. Utilizing a significant portion of my reserves, I formed a concentrated burst of energy and hurled it towards the mage. Caught off guard by the attack from the side, he couldn't deflect it. The mage was thrown several meters back, and judging by his posture, he was neutralized. Not even Crowl could withstand such an assault.

Rainn turned around and rushed towards me. "You're alive, thank all the gods!" He grabbed me in an embrace and pulled me close.

I looked at him gratefully and hoarsely said, "How did you find me?"

"Do you remember the labyrinth? I was sure you would talk to Christoph and come seeking answers. But I felt magical fluctuations and went to check," he said, still holding me tightly.

"I didn't manage to find Christoph. It seems the daughter of Lindwood sent them after me. Do you know who they are?" I pushed myself slightly away and pointed at the fallen mages.

"No, they're not ours. As far as I know, Christoph doesn't have earth mages of that caliber, or they would have been his trusted ones. But in the Kingdom of the Woods..." Rainn confirmed my suspicions. But his next words surprised me. "The count's daughter is clever, but not that much. She couldn't have organized everything on her own. The count or the king helped her, maybe even both."

I looked at him in astonishment. When it came to the count, I had no illusions, but Frederick... "The king?"

Rainn nodded. "I thought you would talk to Christoph first, but we don't have time. Listen." He glanced around to make sure there were no witnesses. "I used to be Sebastian's closest friend, always on his side. But when he started playing this game with you, I began to doubt." I opened my mouth to object, but he raised his hand.

"Let me finish. Do you remember the morning I left?" I nodded, and he continued. "Sebastian called me into his office and said that my relationship with you was causing him concern, as it might disrupt his plan. He sent me away on supposed business. I tried to object, but he was adamant, saying that after your coming of age, you would decide for yourself whom to associate with. Until then, he forbade me from getting close to you. About a week before your birthday, the king's men approached me. Initially, they tried to convince me to cooperate, but then they began threatening my family."

My eyes widened, and I whispered, "Rain, I'm sorry, but..."

He signaled that he hadn't finished. "I didn't believe Christoph and his arguments about caring for your safety, and the boarding house was a way to keep you alive. I didn't believe it until I received an offer to travel to the Elven Kingdom, supposedly to accompany an important trade cargo for the king." He took hold of my hand.

"My mother?" I asked, and Rainn nodded.

He stroked my hand and continued, "I saw her. I can't say where or under what circumstances, but one thing is certain: she's safe and alive. Christoph's men managed to rescue her from the islands before the mercenaries attacked your father."

I nodded. "Alright, but where's the guarantee that this wasn't Christoph's plan to later control me? Perhaps he's using my mother as leverage to manipulate me."

Rainn nodded and replied, "There are no guarantees, Alex, but there are undeniable facts." He ran his hand through his hair. "After meeting the duchess, I went to the king myself. I still didn't believe in his innocence and thought just like you. But he provided me with evidence that even I couldn't argue against. Recording artifacts, as you know, no one has ever been able to forge information from them." He looked at me, waiting for confirmation, and I nodded.

I had heard about such artifacts; my father had told me many times how they were used. They were employed in investigations of particularly dangerous crimes involving powerful mages. The artifact would record the crime scene, all magical traces, aura, and all the necessary information for the investigation, which helped identify and locate the criminal.

"So, you're saying that the king granted you access to these artifacts?" I asked Rainn with skepticism in my voice.

"I asked myself the source of such generosity, but that's a story for later. What's most important is that the artifacts from the Duke's death site contained traces of powerful earth mages, much stronger than this Alex." He pointed to the mage lying near the bushes, whom I had neutralized. "You must figure out for yourself what that implies and where the thread leads." He looked at me, waiting for my reaction.

"They weren't mercenaries!!!" I exclaimed, clutching my chest. Everything was getting more complicated. If these were indeed earth mages, then...

"Dagger!!!" Rainn shouted and shielded me with his body.

My dagger flew in his direction, followed by three arrow-like vines. Reacting on instincts, I disregarded the injured Rainn and instinctively directed a burst of fire toward the attacker, channeling strength through the artifact.

Rainn attacked the earth mage I hadn't finished off. Apparently, he had regained consciousness and decided to finish what he started. But after the burst of flames, he surely wouldn't survive. Underestimating the force, I essentially burned a hole through him. No stasis would help him now.

Rainn lay on the ground, his condition dire. The dagger and three vine arrows pierced his chest. "Thank you, Rainn. Hang in there, everything will be fine. I'll put you in stasis until the healers arrive." I caressed his hair, and we locked eyes. He saved me twice today.

Daniel gently held my hand as I raised it over him to cast the stasis spell, freezing all processes within his body.

"I never betrayed you, Alex," he whispered, closing his eyes.

"I believe you," I replied and kissed his forehead.

As I recited the spell, Rainn smiled faintly.